BIGGLES' SECOND CASE

by Captain W. E. Johns

VIII. ALGY TAKES A HAND (Pages 82 - 91)

Algy and Bertie are concerned when Biggles and Ginger don't return and after a certain period of time, they know they must be down because they would be out of fuel. They intend to go in their plane to have look around - but they find they are grounded by the fog. Dawn finds the fog lifting and eventually, they get the reserve machine in the air with Algy at the controls. Flying to Corbie Island and keeping low when they encounter more fog, Algy nearly flies into an iceberg. He then has to fly over the fog. They spend some time finding Corbie Island because, of course, it is 80 miles away from where the map says it is, but find no sign of Biggles or the submarine. Returning on the course that Biggles would have taken back, Bertie sees a black scar on an iceberg and they land only to find the remains of a burnt out plane. Examining the ice berg, they find blood. Examining the burnt out plane they find a piece of shell casing and guess that Biggles must have found the submarine and been shot down. More blood is found and they also find Biggles bloodstained hankerchief. In the distance, about a quarter of a mile away, they see two polar bears swimming towards another 'berg. "I don't think it's much use looking for bodies here" said Algy. "Nor I," returned Bertie.